Tech-savvy. Data-centric.
AI-Forward.

Chris McLellan is an AI-forward growth marketing consultant with deep experience in B2B SaaS and consumer tech and track record of fast execution and measurable results.

Friends Electric is the AI Marketing and Product Marketing consultancy of Chris McLellan

"Chris is a forward thinker who builds genuine relationships and creates opportunities for growth."

- Lyft, Country Manager

Hi, I’m Chris McLellan, a growth marketing specialist with 15+ years of experience at startups, scale-ups, and established companies driving the launch of cutting-edge B2B SaaS and consumer tech. My skills include foundational marketing, product marketing, content marketing, GTM plans, and lead gen campaigns. I'm also an expert in AI marketing and regularly publish info, insights, and best practices on this fast-emerging approach.

15+ yrs enterprise SaaS, data, AI, & consumer marketplaces

Co-author / Tech Lead of pioneering data /AI standard

Certified Chartered Marketer.

Scored top 5% on case study

Founder of AI nonprofit driving 50K+ content engagements

Full-stack marketer. Expert at testing & using diverse tools

Executed 50+ launch campaigns / including Lyft's Canada launch

Latest Blog Posts

Guide To Building An AI-Enabled Content Engine

Delivering content at scale with the support of AI should not mean soulless automation. This free guide to building AI-enabled Content Engines shows how marketers, Generative AI, and Agentic AI can work together to publish content that feels authentic and connects with audiences.

Chris McLellan

How to Use AI Notetakers to Improve Marketing Knowledge Bases

Discover how AI Notetakers can help marketing teams scale-up conversations with customers, internal experts, and supply chain partners to create a continuous stream of human insights to enrich marketing knowledge bases and AI marketing activities.

Chris McLellan

How to Build an AI-Forward B2B Marketing Function in 120 Days

Through Friends Electric , my personal AI marketing consultancy, I recently helped a client build a B2B marketing function from the ground up. The experience made it clear just how profoundly AI is reshaping the structure and development of the marketing stack. To put those learnings into practice, I created this updated version of a classic '120-Day Marketing Plan', a practical, AI-forward guide that be used by small businesses and startups as a reference when building or m

Chris McLellan

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AI-Enabled Marketing Services

Chris McLellan is the principal marketer at Friends Electric growth marketing and AI marketing consultancy

Turbo-Charge Your Next Product Launch Campaign

I build cross-team campaigns informed by strategic marketing plans and executed with careful project management, tracking, and reporting.

The goal is to drive measurable growth through integrated programs across content, social, events, community, email, and media.

Arrangement:

Short-term retainer for 1-2 days per week for duration, typically 2-3 months.

Ideal for:

Startups, scale-ups, and established businesses looking for specialist resource to assist in a critical product launch / GTM Plan execution.

Includes:

Campaign Plan
Project Management
Dashboard & Reporting
Activity / milestone ownership as required

Note: Establishing a Product Playbook is a pre-requisite.

I help teams build and test AI tools to help scale and accelerate specific element of the marketing functions, whether through custom bots on OpenAI or Gemini or off-the-shelf apps that solve a unique marketing challenge.

The goal is to ensure that AI marketing tools are explored incrementally without overwhelming teams or creating unnecessary friction and operational risk.

Categories of AI marketing tech, in rough order of complexity:

Research Assistants (advisors):

I create knowledge bases for tools like NotebookLM and ChatGPT Projects to guide marketing projects with insights e.g. trends, patterns, anomalies, and areas of consensus.

Custom Bots (creators):

I create custom bots (Custom GPTs, Gemini Gems) with detailed instructions to help scale routine marketing tasks, particularly drafting content like emails and social posts.

AI Apps (doers):

I introduce specialized apps like AI Notetakers and video clip generators to boost marketing productivity.

AI Agents (automators):

I carefully introduce AI agents that automate marketing tasks such as lead generation, customer support, and surveys (internal or customer).

Arrangement:

Project basis. Typically 2-4 weeks per tool, depending on the complexity of the use case.

Ideal for:

Startups, scale-ups, and established companies that have identified a use case for testing.

Note: It is recommended that clients have an AI adoption framework already in place before initiating AI pilot projects. Don't have a framework in place? Let's talk.

Includes:

Use case identification
Tool recommendation
Project management (pilot)
Results reporting
Team handover & training

Introduce AI Marketing Tools To Augment Marketing Function

Build An Always-On, AI-Supported Growth Program

I build dynamic growth programs that are supported by AI Research Assistants and powered by insights gained from employees, customers, partners, market research, competitor analysis, and performance data.

The goal is to introduce an always-on approach to growth marketing that establishes a funnel of ideas that have been scored, prioritized, and prepared for testing.

A growth idea can involve a range of initiatives, including positioning, programs, campaigns, partnerships, tools, channels, and operational improvements.

Arrangement:

Project-based. Typical duration 2 months.

Ideal for:

Startups, scale-ups and more established businesses operating in challenging markets where reliable sources of growth are indeterminate or otherwise proving difficult to pin down.

Includes:

10 x stakeholder interviews
Interview transcripts (via AI Notetaker)
Survey designs (internal, customer)
Scoring rubric (criteria, weights)
AI Research Assistant (program level)
Program hand-over and team training

I developed my growth marketing skills by leading launches and campaigns at start-ups, scale-ups, and established companies in the US, Canada, and UK, backed by top investors including Sequoia, Accel, USV, and Sir Richard Branson. I’m collaborative by nature and thrive on the hustle.

The goal is to provide clients with a versatile, collaborative resource that can shape strategy, dig into product research, and own many of the day-to-day activities that keep companies growing.

Ideal for:

Companies looking to add depth and capacity to their marketing function without the commitment and risk of a full-time resource.

Arrangement:

I typically work on a three-month rolling retainer, for a minimum of two days per week. Engagements are open-ended and shaped by the achievement of your marketing goals.

Includes:

Clients can direct my time towards any of the following marketing activities:

Marketing Plans & Growth Strategies
Marketing Budgets, Reporting, & Dashboards
Program Management
Product Playbooks / GTM Plans
Campaign Management
Product Launches
AI tool adoption
Customer Feedback Loops
Content (article, podcast, video, guides, thought leadership)
Sales enablement (guides, battle cards, product training)
Social Media Marketing
Email marketing
Event marketing (hosted, sponsored) & webinars
Field marketing / activation teams
Web design (collab with UI/UX folks)
Community management
Newsletter
Media influencer relations
Paid channels
SEO / AIO

Add Full-Stack Growth Marketing Expertise

Establish Winning GTM With Comprehensive Product Playbooks

I build detailed playbooks using my custom template and AI tools, covering 15 points of analysis from market position to buyer perception.

The goal is to provide a single source of truth that helps teams communicate consistently and make better decisions across marketing, sales, customer success, and product management.

Arrangement:

Project-based. Typical duration 6 weeks.

Ideal for:

Startups and scaleups planning a strategic launch or more established businesses looking to add extra Product Marketing resource.

**Establishing Product Playbooks is particularly critical prior to investing in major assets and activities, including websites and campaigns.**

Includes:

Delivery of Product Marketing research and frameworks that fine-tune product launches, marketing campaigns, content programs, and sales training.

Product 360 (1 product or product line)
SWOT Analysis
Competitive Analysis (up to 5)
Positioning 360
Customer Persona 360s (up to 5)
JTBD (Jobs To Be Done)
Key Use Cases
Core Value Props
Messaging Framework
Objection Handling
Hooks & Storylines
Pricing Framework
GTM Checklist
AI Research Assistant (product-specific)

The information is maintained in a compact spreadsheet that includes column-level notes to support on-going collaboration and updates. A document version can also be developed for simplified use with Generative AI platforms.

I work with companies to design and implement Content Engines that help to scale and accelerate content production while retaining creativity, compliance, and storytelling impact.

The goal is to enable clients to take the next step in using Generative AI for content marketing by applying a thoughtful, deliberate, and well-documented approach.

Arrangement:

Project basis. Estimate: 20 full-time equivalent days.

Ideal for:

Startups, scale-ups, and established companies that have identified Content Marketing as a use case for artificial intelligence.

Note: It is recommended that clients have an AI adoption framework already in place before initiating AI pilot projects. Don't have a framework in place? Let's talk.

Includes:

Marketing Knowledge Base with 5 x templates, incl. Product Playbook
AI Research Assistant (aka AI Editor-In-Chief)
Content Plan feat. Content Briefs
Content Bots x 3 w/ custom instructions + templates
Team handover & training

Increase Scale & Productivity With AI-Enabled Content Program

Sample Portfolio

Click to expand. Best viewed on desktop👍

Chris McLellan, growth and AI marketing portfolio

Chris Mclellan is the Pricipal at Friends Electric, the AI marketing consultancy

Career Snapshot

Cinchy - Marketing Director

Founding marketer at pioneering startup building Data Collaboration Platform for the enterprise. Lead product marketing and category development. Backed by Mars Ventures and Techstars.

Ask AI Podcast - Founder / Head of Content

Founded Ask AI nonprofit in 2017 to showcase innovation and support everyday professionals as they navigate increased AI adoption. I continue to volunteer as content producer.

Lyft - Canada Launch Manager (Contract)

Launch marketer (contract) responsible for all driver recruitment, passenger recruitment, and key partnerships for Toronto/GTA launch of the major rideshare service.

VarageSale - Head of Launch Marketing

Founding marketer at B2C mobile marketplace. Delivered 25+ community launches and managed team of 8. Backed by Sequoia, Lightspeed, and Real Ventures.

Hailo - Head of Marketing

Founding marketer responsible for flagship launch (London, UK) plus 8 major city launches in North America. Backed by Sir Richard Branson and Accel Partners.

SEE FULL RESUME

Credentials & Roles

Chris McLellan is a Certified Chartered Marketer

How I Work

Collaborative

I thrive on collaboration and take a cross-team approach to improving customer experiences, enabling colleagues, and driving growth.

Transparent

I bring fresh ideas and approaches but make sure that my clients are equipped with the right tools, skills, and programs to keep improving and growing.

Productive

I combine diverse information sources with Generative AI tools to save time, reduce costs, and liberate teams from performing repetitive and low-value tasks.

Creative

I test AI tools across the marketing function, including drafting content, planning campaigns, fine-tuning strategies, and automating lead generation.

AI Marketing Tools

I select AI-enabled marketing tools for their simplicity, cost-effectiveness, analytics, and team collaboration features.

Custom AI Bots

I write prompts and create templates to enable tools like Google Gems and Custom GPTs to draft emails, blog posts, video scripts, and lead magnets.

Content Creation

I use graphic design tools like Canva and Gamma for creating brand assets, social media graphics, and sales collateral.

AI Notetakers

I use tools like Granola and Google Meet to generate call transcripts and summaries that are excellent sources of raw information for AI Research Assistants.

Sales Automation

I use tools like AI Sales Development Reps to augment top of funnel activities and deliver qualified leads to sales teams.

AI Research Assistants

I use tools like Google's NotebookLM and ChatGPT Projects to support the planning and execution of campaigns, growth programs, and GTM Plans.

CRM

I'm experienced in email sequences and lead nurturing in HubSpot, ActiveCampaign, and Apollo.

AI Agents

I'm in the early stages of testing agentic platforms like N8N, Make, and GumLoop for multi-step, multi-platform automations.

AI Video Production

Video is an increasingly key content format. AI Tools like Descript and Wistia support text-to-video editing, sound bites, and lead gen.

Web Design

I build basic web sites (like this one) with Wix and collaborate with UX experts on design apps like Figma.

AI CRO

I employ tools like Voiceflow, Screenflow, and Pathmonk to help optimize website conversion rates and boost growth.

Reporting & Analytics

I work with analytical tools including GA4, Funnel IO, and Looker Studio to build concise dashboards and reports to inform key decisions.

Featured Clients

Beyond Retro is a client of Friends Electric, the personal AI marketing consultancy of Chris McLellan

Book
Discovery Call

Let’s take 30 minutes to talk through your business and marketing goals and see if we’re a fit.

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Connect with me on LinkedIn to explore our mutual business contacts and affiliations and share business insights.

LET'S CONNECT

Use Contact Form

Something else? Fell free to use my Contact Form to submit your business enquiry.

CONTACT ME

Tim Houghton

Operations Director, OpenDoor

"Chris is a forward thinker who builds genuine relationships and creates opportunities for growth."

[I reported to Tim, the Country Manager, while spearheading the Canadian market launch of Lyft, the SF-based rideshare operator and Uber rival]

Andrew Sider

EVP Global Festivals, Ticketmaster

“Chris connects big picture strategy with hands-on execution in a data driven environment."

[I reported to Andrew, the CEO, while heading the Launch Marketing team at VaragSale, the secondhand marketplace backed by Sequoia and Accel Partners]

Dan Demers

Data & AI Pioneer

“Chris brings a whatever it takes mindset, adapting quickly and driving success through any challenge.”

[I reported to Dan, the CEO, while employed as founding marketer and subsequently Product Marketing Manager at Cinchy, the enterprise Data Collaboration Platform]

Tammy Exner

Sr. Product Marketing, Acumatica

"Chris is passionate about tech and the responsible application of it, and has many great ideas on how to leverage quality content, AR, and PR for brand building and community engagement."

[Tammy and I were colleagues while I was Marketing Director at Cinchy, the pioneering Data Collaboration Platform for the enterprise]

Celina Zamora

Sr. Community Mngr, ServiceNow

"I can attribute my overall confidence in being able to tackle various marketing tactics and solutions to Chris. He really valued our team and was genuinely interested in our personal success."

[I managed Celina while heading up the Launch Marketing team at VaragSale, the Toronto-based secondhand marketplace backed by Sequoia and Accel Partners]

Rachel Lemkow

Marketing Director, Honk

"Chris ensured all team members were fully equipped to succeed, provided guidance when necessary, but otherwise let his team run with their own projects. He's data and metrics driven and instilled the same mentality in the team."

[I managed Rachel while heading up the Launch Marketing team at VaragSale, the Toronto-based secondhand marketplace backed by Sequoia and Accel Partners]

Bobby Hennessy

Head of ads, Pinterest Canada

"Chris dreams big. He looks for large scale opportunities and turns them into bite-size tasks and does an excellent job being hands-on and getting his team excited about executing."

[Bobby and I were colleagues while I was heading up Launch Marketing at VaragSale, the Toronto-based secondhand marketplace backed by Sequoia and Accel]

Yousef Reyyes

Director Growth Marketing, Clutch

"I got the privilege of seeing Chris take the City Launch team from an ambitious idea to a fast-moving, data-driven marketing and business development SWAT team."

[I managed Yousef while heading up the Launch Marketing team at VaragSale, the Toronto-based secondhand marketplace backed by Sequoia and Accel Partners]

David Scharbach

Founder, Toronto Machine Learning Society

"Chris is an invaluable leader in the Canadian AI ecosystem working tirelessly to represent Canadian research and innovation in the various fields of AI. "

[I collaborated with Dave while volunteering as Founder at the Ask AI nonprofit which has been actively producing content since 2017}

Read more recommendations on LinkedIn

Tech-savvy. Data-centric. AI-Forward.

Chris McLellan is an AI-forward growth marketing consultant with deep experience in B2B SaaS and consumer tech and track record of fast execution and measurable results.

Latest Blog Posts

Guide To Building An AI-Enabled Content Engine

How to Use AI Notetakers to Improve Marketing Knowledge Bases

How to Build an AI-Forward B2B Marketing Function in 120 Days

AI-Enabled Marketing Services

Build An Always-On, AI-Supported Growth Program

Sample Portfolio

Career Snapshot

Credentials & Roles

How I Work

AI Marketing Tools

Featured Clients

Book Discovery Call

Connect on LinkedIn

Use Contact Form

Tech-savvy. Data-centric.
AI-Forward.

Book
Discovery Call